Road Trip: Wild West USA
- Val Douroux
- May 26
- 4 min read
The greatest freedom in America is to get in a car and drive. City - State - Country. With a full tank of gas and no destination in mind, I drive across the wild west like a dragon flying. Here are my favorite destinations along the way:
Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
Since I live in LA, and scout/drive the Wild West, I'll share
Val Douroux's
Best Road Trips in America:
I'll start here in LA one of America's Most Visited cities, and expand across the West
Wild West Road Trips
LA
Zion
#1 PCH
#2 LA - Malibu
#3 LA - Big Sur - San Francisco
#4 LA - B.C. Canada
#5 LA - San Diego - Tijuana - Ensenada, Mexico
#6 The Mighty Five: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands
#7 LA - Zion - Grand Canyon - Scottsdale - Palm Springs - LA
PCH - Pacific Coast Highway - Big Sur
PCH
Running North/South along the Pacific Coast line, the PCH aka Pacific Coast Highway is arguably the most gorgeous road in the world. From Long Beach - Mexico - Malibu - British Columbia in Canada the PCH is the road to beautiful pacific ocean beaches.
Big Sur
With breathtaking ocean views and the redwood forest, this 7hr one-way trip is heaven on Earth. Here, is home to the Bixby Bridge and Pfeiffer waterfall (pictured above) this enchanted swath of land is where raw American forest meets ocean. It was here in Big Sur that I saw seafoam whip off the ocean and turn right into a cloud.
This part of the world is so magical and enchanting.
I was driving along a cold and moody coast when I saw a sign that caught my eye for "Holy Granola". I followed the sign 2 miles up a canyon and found a monastery called Hermitage. It's so quiet. So peaceful and the views are incredible. There are benches for sitting and meditation stations. What's incredible is the road drives you through the clouds and the sun shines bright up here.
LA - San Fran
LA - British Columbia
Drive a little higher than San Fran and find yourself breathing the fresh air of redwoods in the Pacific Northwest of Portland - Seattle - BC.
LA - UTAH
Zion - Bryce Canyon
LA - Barstow - Baker - Las Vegas - St. George - Hurricane - Zion
I drive this road more than a trucker. It's my favorite and I love every pit-stop along the way. (Except that over-priced gas station shaped like a red barn in Baker that sells drinks yet has "no public restroom"...) & Of course... No stop in the middle of the desert is complete with a trip inside Alien Jerky. (Honestly, the jerky is dry & overpriced), but the novelty of it all makes it a fine place to stretch).
On the way to Zion, you'll see a bright white building against the red cliffs and a manmade D in the mountain. This is the pioneer town of St. George, Utah. That bright white building is the oldest operating LDS Temple in the world. With its rich pioneer history, beautiful landscape and focus on family, St. George has become one of the fastest growing cities in America.
While in St. George, visit Red Hills Desert Garden
Back on the Interstate, take exit 16 and hang out in Hurricane. It's on the way to Zion and home to 2 fresh water reservoirs that make a nice place to rest in the hot summer. Check out: Sand Hollow & Quail Creek. Perfect for camping, canoeing, cliff diving, and swimming.
Close into town, Hurricane has the best fork in the road for a Drive/Trip: RIGHT for Kanab, The Wave, Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell & Grand Canyon. Or LEFT, over the La Verkin suspension bridge, (optional pitstop River Roasting Co for coffee, pizza, beer +), then right up Scenic State Route 9 into Zion.
Here,
You can eat, camp, horseback ride and hike for days. You can stay at the Zion Lodge (inside the park) or at one of the many charming bed and breakfasts located just outside the park in the town of Springdale.
There are plenty of places to eat, just be sure to time it right before the dinner hiking crowd. The most famous hikes in Zion are Angel's Landing and The Narrows. If you don't have to be a hero, you'll enjoy the paved Pa'rus Trail next to the Zion National Park Gift Shop and Virgin River. My favorite park hike is Lower Emerald Pool. When we don't feel like hiking, I guide/drive up to Checkerboard Mesa.
After a nice hike or 2 inside Zion National Park, drive through the Mt. Carmel Tunnel to Checkerboard Mesa. Then, past Duck Creek to Bryce Canyon. Hike Mossy Cove Trail and fall asleep under the stars gazing at millions/billions of years of life in the making. Bryce Canyon has a low level of light pollution making it one of the best places to stargaze in the world.
Red Canyon, Utah
If you're making the pilgrimage to Utah to see all that you can see, visit The Mighty Five
The Mighty Five
Call me biased, but Utah is my favorite. You get to see every color land, and this drive is unlike any in the world. I give it #1 because it's rare, incredible, and a lot less traffic than the PCH. Once home to the dinosaurs and Ancient Native American people, and now you. On the open road, you're free to go any where you want to go.
Have you been to any of these destinations? Where's your favorite place to road trip? Do you have any tips?! Leave your tips and trips in the comments below & thanks for reading! If you liked this article, like and share it!
As a bonus: Here’s a free map. Connect on IG, TT & YT:
@ValDouroux
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